Some of those happenings didn't involve Ness directly.
Lier X. Aggerate (sp? It's supposed to be a play on "Liar, Exaggerate") in the opening scene tells you about the Mani Mani statue that he just happened to have unearthed. Pokey follows its progress from Happy Happy Village to Fourside (where it's destroyed in the illusory Moonside). From there he lusts forth with power.